The Aujargues hills

Amid hills and valleys, a bull ranch (manade) under the pine trees, abandoned quarries, and quaint villages with narrow, shady lanes. A wonderful glimpse of the Gard.

Technical sheet

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  • Walking
    Activity: Walking
  • ↔
    Distance: 17.79 km
  • ◔
    Average duration: 5h 35 
  • ▲
    Difficulty: Moderate

  • ⚐
    Return to departure point: Yes
  • ↗
    Vertical gain: + 169 m
  • ↘
    Vertical drop: - 178 m

  • ▲
    Highest point: 135 m
  • ▼
    Lowest point: 41 m

Photos

Description of the walk

Park in the car park of the Foyer Rural, on the right at the first roundabout as you come into Aujargues from Nimes (D40).

(S) From the car park, at the signpost for Devant la Vièle, set out towards Aujargues. Go over the footbridge, carry on past the Foyer Rural and go up the steps that lead to the church. Turn right onto Rue de la République, and after 120m turn right onto Rue Font de Gaillarde. When the road joins back up with Rue de la République (1), cross over the road and turn left onto Chemin des Oliviers.
Carry on past a small chapel and at the fork take the lefthand path. Ignore all the paths off to the left and right, and stay on the main path until you reach a junction with a DFCI (Defense des forêts contre l’incendie – Protection of forests from fire) marked access track (there is a stone marker in the middle of the junction).

(2) Turn right, ignore the next path off to the right, and carry on until you reach the junction Le Terme Blanc.
Turn right towards La Manade, and walk along beside the bull ranch until you reach a fork.

(3) Take the righthand path and continue through the forest towards Laurisset. A DFCI access track from the left joins the marked track and continues as far as Laurisset.
Carry straight on towards Mazet de Lebrun, which you will reach 100m further on. This mazet (farmhouse) is decorated with numerous carved stones in the shape of animals.

(4) Follow the path to the right for about 50m until you reach the sign for 4 chemins d’Alès, then turn left towards Playcine (direct) through the pine forest.
Carry straight on, ignoring the road off to the left and the next two paths off to the right, until you reach the football pitch.
Go around the football pitch to the left until you reach the crossing with Chemin de la Ninarde.

(5) Turn right onto Chemin de Playcine until you reach the junction with the same name. Turn left onto the path towards Puech du Pendu, and after 150m, cross the road and carry on down the path opposite you.

(6) At Puech du Pendu, turn right towards Le Couvent (voie verte) . The path winds through the pine forest and then joins the D40. Continue left for 50m and then take the path to the right under the road.

(7) After the tunnel, turn right again onto the small road that runs alongside the main road. Carry on as far as the first crossroads and then take a sharp left through the vineyards. At the end of the vineyards, take a right and then an immediate left to reach the Voie Verte cycle path.

Cross the cycle path and turn left onto a path that runs parallel with the cycle path (do not take the cycle path).
After 50m, the path turns to the right and then comes out onto the D140.

(8) Cross the D140 and carry straight on opposite you down Chemin de Lissac. After 700m, cross the Lissac to the left and then carry on to the right down the path alongside the stream.

(9) At the Valcroze crossing, take the path opposite you that runs alongside the Lissac towards Chemin du Rieu. Go past a stone cross, and as you get closer to the houses, the waymarks lead off to the right on a paved road.

(10) At the signpost for Chemin du Rieu, turn right towards the Bois de Dumas. Cross the stream again and follow the path that takes you to the right of a little house.
After following along a stone wall, the path joins the Chemin de Junas at the Bois de Dumas crossing. Continue down the path to the right and at the next fork take the lefthand path.
Keep following the waymarks, ignoring any other paths off to the right or left.

(11) Just before you reach a large crossing with a hut and a small stone shelter on the lefthand side, take the path to the right. Stay on this path, which is then joined by another track from the right.
Bear left until you reach numbers 589 and 593 on Chemin d’ Aubais then take the path that leads up to the right.
At a crossing, take the path to the left which turns into a trail and then leads out onto the D140.

(12) Turn left towards the village of Junas, and keep going until you reach the Place de l'Horloge. Turn right down Route d’Aujargues (D105), and carry straight on until you reach the fourth road to the left (Chemin des Ayres). Turn left and walk 20m down Chemin des Ayres.

(13) At the signpost for Chemin de Poussel turn right down the little lane that comes out at the Château eau crossroads. Carry straight on towards the old quarries.
Walk left around the water tower to take the path down to the quarries. Carefully follow the signs which will take you around the quarries, between the old and new excavation areas to then bring you back out onto the road at the Rond Point des Rencontres roundabout.

(14) Carry on towards Voie Ludevia (voie verte) down Chemin de Corbières, ignoring all the other paths off to the left or right until you reach Corbières river.
Cross over the river and take the path to the right 200m further on, and then turn immediately left onto the path that joins the cycle path (voie verte).

(15) At the signpost for Voie Ludevia, turn right onto the cycle path towards Pont de Corbières, and carry on down the cycle path over two bridges.

(16) At Pont de Corbières, turn left towards the Bois de Clapisse. Keep going straight on down the main path, which ends up running alongside the D40 until you get to the signpost for Le Château.

Turn left and cross the D40 at the roundabout, then turn right to get back to the Foyer car park.

Waypoints

  1. S/E : km 0 - alt. 70 m - Foyer car park
  2. 1 : km 0.53 - alt. 77 m - Left Chemin des Oliviers
  3. 2 : km 2.4 - alt. 134 m - Right on the runway
  4. 3 : km 3.12 - alt. 124 m - The Manade
  5. 4 : km 3.89 - alt. 128 m - Mazet de Lebrun
  6. 5 : km 4.8 - alt. 103 m - Crossroads with chemin de la Ninarde.
  7. 6 : km 5.32 - alt. 96 m - Puech du Pendu
  8. 7 : km 6.59 - alt. 72 m - Right after the tunnel
  9. 8 : km 8.14 - alt. 64 m - Crossing with the D40
  10. 9 : km 9.23 - alt. 52 m - Valcroze
  11. 10 : km 9.97 - alt. 48 m - Chemin du Rieu
  12. 11 : km 11.08 - alt. 82 m - On the right before the big crossroads
  13. 12 : km 12.58 - alt. 71 m - Left on the D40
  14. 13 : km 13.03 - alt. 84 m - Chemin de Poussel
  15. 14 : km 14.39 - alt. 85 m - Rond Point des Rencontres
  16. 15 : km 15.47 - alt. 51 m - Voie Ludevia
  17. 16 : km 15.88 - alt. 55 m - Corbières bridge
  18. S/E : km 17.79 - alt. 70 m - Foyer car park

Practical information

There are yellow waymarks all the way along the route.
There is a water fountain in the old quarries.

In the nearby area

The old quarries of Junas (also known as the Carrières du Bon Temps) is a magnificent and magical site, shaped by over 2000 years of excavation.
The Carrières du Bon Temps were opened by the Gallo-Romans and owe their name to the small depression they lie in, the Combe du Bon Temps.
For the last 20 years, a Jazz festival has been held here hosting some of the most famous jazz players from around the world.

Reviews and comments

4.5 / 5
Based on 70 reviews

Reliability of the description
4.6 / 5
Clarity of route map
4.6 / 5
Route interest
4.4 / 5
didier 51
didier 51

Overall rating : 4.3 / 5

Date of walk : Feb 08, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Clarity of route map : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Busy trail : Yes

Hello,

nice hike but not to do the day after heavy rain because there are 4 fords that we could not do, we managed to continue the hike by changing the route a little thanks to the GPS / map, without it would have been very complicated.
a+
didier

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pmb34
pmb34

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of walk : Feb 08, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Clarity of route map : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Busy trail : No

Pleasant walk with many points of interest
Avoid after heavy rain as you cross several streams that have become impassable

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Vigrinie
Vigrinie

Overall rating : 4 / 5

Date of walk : Feb 01, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★★☆☆ Average
Clarity of route map : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Busy trail : Yes

A very beautiful and rewarding walk.
I recommend it

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bernbla
bernbla

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of walk : Dec 18, 2024
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Clarity of route map : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Busy trail : No

It was a bit chilly at the start in December, so we had lunch by the pond, but the wind dissuaded us from staying too long.
Apart from the distance, it's a hike that's perfectly feasible for a family.

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Agnès Dupont
Agnès Dupont

Overall rating : 4.3 / 5

Date of walk : May 06, 2024
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Clarity of route map : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Busy trail : No

I enjoyed this short walk with my dog without any problems.
⚠️ Between points 5 and 6, crossing the road is dangerous because of the rolling road and poor visibility.

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Ma Mie
Ma Mie

Overall rating : 4 / 5

Date of walk : Mar 09, 2024
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Clarity of route map : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Busy trail : No

A pleasant, easy walk.
Avoid after heavy rain as you cross several streams, unless you like to take a dip!

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bernard randonneur
bernard randonneur

Overall rating : 4.3 / 5

Date of walk : Jan 25, 2024
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Clarity of route map : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Busy trail : Yes

A beautiful hike, not to be done in the middle of summer, but in spring.

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sabinelagardeval
sabinelagardeval

Overall rating : 3.7 / 5

Date of walk : Jan 21, 2024
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Clarity of route map : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★☆☆☆ Disappointing
Busy trail : Yes

It's an uninteresting walk, we ended up going through a lot of villages, nothing really interesting! What's more, this is a walk NOT TO BE DONE WITH A DOG. We were attacked! Luckily the weather was fine!

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Ninougard
Ninougard

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of walk : Dec 17, 2023
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Clarity of route map : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Busy trail : No

varied and very pleasant circuit. There was no-one on the day of my walk. Easy parking at the start of the walk

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langoat
langoat

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of walk : Sep 03, 2023
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Clarity of route map : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Busy trail : No

Forest paths on a pretty quarry site

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Cambchr
Cambchr

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of walk : Mar 10, 2023
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Clarity of route map : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Busy trail : No

I walked this path on Sunday 11 March, the first day of the year with temperatures of over 20 degrees! To be honest, I set off early because I was expecting to meet a lot of people on this path. I started walking at 8am sharp. I passed some cyclists but no hikers.
Watch out for hunters though... Between points 5 and 7, to cross the Puech du Pendu, I couldn't go through because there was a wild boar hunt. I hesitated to turn back (I should point out that I was accompanied by my dog, so it was absolutely impossible to pass near a hunt), but in the end I went all the way round by the road... Not very pleasant, but at least I was able to continue and reach point 8, a diversion that added another 3 kilometres.
I loved the scenery. I passed through the Junas quarries very quickly because there were a lot of people there, which wasn't ideal with the dog.
The route is very easy, almost always flat, and there are quite a few shady stretches. My dog really enjoyed it too. The signs are clear and easy to follow.
In total, I walked 22 kilometres in 5 hours.

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athmos.oner
athmos.oner

Overall rating : 4.5 / 5

Date of walk : Mar 04, 2023
Reliability of the description : N/A
Clarity of route map : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Busy trail : Yes

It's true that this walk takes in a lot of DFCI paths, and some sections are very busy with bikes and even cars.
But as it is not at all difficult and offers some beautiful views and some very pleasant stretches, it would be a shame to miss it.
Don't hesitate to extend the distance by visiting the superb villages of Aubais and Junas.

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jfflocharcot
jfflocharcot

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of walk : Jan 15, 2023
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Clarity of route map : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Busy trail : No

A pleasant walk, with no difficulties, the route through the quarry is perfect and gives a good overview of the farm.
Well done and thank you

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Fresneda
Fresneda

Overall rating : 4.3 / 5

Date of walk : Jan 11, 2023
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Clarity of route map : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Busy trail : No

very pleasant route (environment) with no problems and little traffic.

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Alain5130
Alain5130

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of walk : Nov 13, 2021
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Clarity of route map : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Busy trail : No

A pleasant and varied route. Not many people except a few in the quarries where we had lunch. No difficulties

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